Retirement and Back to the Basics

Friday, August 22, 2014

One of the most important items to own when preserving is the Ball Blue Book. The Blue Book covers canning, freezing, dehydrating and is a planning guide. I've been canning for years but I always use the book to make sure I remember the exact time I need to can an item. No one who preserves food should be without this wonderful book.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

On International Can-It-Forward Day and for my review of the green canning jars I decided to do pickles. I made 6 quarts and 1 pint of Bread and Butter Pickles using the Ball Flex Batch Mix. I love the flex batch mix because you can do a little or do a lot. I thought pickles would look really good in the green jars and that is why I made them. As you can see they turned out beautiful and would make a nice gift with a ribbon tied around the neck of the jar.

Friday, August 15, 2014

The Ball Dry Herb Jars come in a 4 pack with labels and are 4oz each. Each jar has a snap open cap that the herb can be shaken out of.. I love that they can be stacked for space saving storage. These are a nice addition to the Ball family of products.

All you have to do to get your name entered into the drawing is to leave a comment on any of the International Can-It-Forward posts and tell me which item you would use first and why.The contest starts now and ends Saturday August 16th at midnight. I will draw one winner Sunday morning

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

I will be participating in International Can-It-Forward Day on Saturday August 16th. I have the following items from Jarden Home Brands that I will be evaluating and Jarden will be giving one of my readers the same items to evaluate.

About Me

I am retired and trying to go back to the basics. I have 3 grown children and 9 grandchildren with the oldest one living with us. We live outside a small community on about an 1/3 acre where I have several raised garden beds, apple trees, 34 hens, 2 roosters and 7 turkeys, 3 toms and 4 hens.